Jimmy Kimmel‘s “Live!” returns to ABC stations Tuesday night after a two-week hiatus prompted by controversy over on-air remarks about Senator Marsha Blackburn.The late-night show was temporarily pulled from the schedules of some ABC affiliates following criticism from Blackburn and subsequent scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The dispute centers on a joke Kimmel made about Blackburn’s appearance and political stances during an interview with Jason Kandel, a conservative activist. Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group, owners of 60 ABC affiliates, initially announced they might discontinue airing Kimmel’s show, citing the remarks. The situation escalated as Nexstar seeks FCC approval for its acquisition of Tegna, raising questions about potential influence over broadcast content.
While ABC resumed broadcasting “Live!” nationally, the decision to air the show remains with individual Nexstar and Sinclair stations. Both companies had signaled a possible permanent removal of the programme from their lineups following the initial backlash.The FCC, under Chairman Brendan Carr, has been closely monitoring the situation, sparking debate about the agency’s role in regulating comedic content and potential censorship.
